In a heartwarming and quietly powerful social media post, Anupam Mittal, the founder of Shaadi.com, opened up about a personal decision that challenges a long-standing cultural tradition in India. Mittal shared the story of how he and his family consciously chose a middle name for their daughter, Alyssa, breaking away from the conventional practice of passing down the father’s name, a norm followed by many Indian families for generations.
Traditionally in India, a child’s middle name often carries the father’s first name, symbolizing the continuation of the paternal lineage. For girls, this middle name is later expected to be replaced by their husband’s name after marriage, subtly reinforcing patriarchal structures in personal identity. Anupam Mittal, however, decided it was time to question this unspoken rule.
In his recent Linkedin post, Mittal explained how most people seldom reflect on such customs because they are so deeply woven into the fabric of daily life. Yet, for his family, it felt important to pause, question, and choose differently. Rather than following convention, Mittal and his wife named their daughter ‘Alyssa Anantara’.
The name ‘Anantara’, rooted in Sanskrit, means “limitless.” It is also derived from ‘Ananta’, another name for the Hindu goddess Saraswati, who symbolizes wisdom and knowledge. The choice was not just about selecting a beautiful name, it was about embedding a message of independence, possibility, and empowerment in their daughter’s identity from the very start.
“It’s a small thing. A name. But also… not so small,” wrote Mittal in his caption. He elaborated that this gesture was a way of telling his daughter that she need not carry anyone else’s legacy, nor be defined by the men in her life. Instead, she is free to shape her own story and identity.
The post struck a chord on social media, garnering thousands of likes and comments, with many users applauding Mittal’s thoughtfulness and progressive outlook. In a society where women are often introduced in relation to the men around them as someone’s daughter, wife, or mother, this decision feels both personal and quietly radical.
Mittal was clear that this wasn’t a grand, world-changing act. “It won’t change the world,” he admitted, but it was a meaningful step for his family. A way to say they believe in equality in their daughter, in her choices, and in her future.
At a time when conversations around gender equality are gaining momentum in India, stories like these remind people that change often starts at home, with small but significant acts of intention. Anupam Mittal’s decision to challenge a traditional naming practice might be one such quiet act, but its message is loud and clear: identity and agency should belong to the individual, not be inherited or imposed.
And for Alyssa Anantara, it’s a beautiful way to begin her own limitless journey.
